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NEWS
“Glittering jewel” of culture to be created by LDA Design at London’s Olympic Park
POSTED 15 May 2015 . BY Jason Holland
The UCL campus is part of the wider Olympicopolis development Credit: Shutterstock.com
LDA Design has been selected to masterplan a university campus at London’s Olympic Park, featuring a museum, collections libraries and performance spaces.

A team led by the practice, which also includes Nicholas Hare Architects, will develop the 125,000sq m (1,345,489sq ft) campus for University College London (UCL), called UCL East. It will be located south of the ArcelorMittal Orbit and the Zaha Hadid-designed London Aquatics Centre at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, home of the 2012 Olympic Games.

The UCL campus is part of the wider Olympicopolis development, which will also include projects involving the Victoria & Albert Museum, the University of the Arts and Sadler’s Wells. Talks are also ongoing with the Smithsonian about creating a presence at the site.

The first phase of the UCL East project aims to create a collection of innovative knowledge centres, bringing together cross-disciplinary expertise, and is scheduled for completion in time for the 2018/19 academic year.

It will be a 50,000sq m development and will feature the UCL Museum of the Future, where immersive exhibition galleries will be created. A school of design, a centre for experimental engineering, collections libraries, and studio and performance spaces will also feature.

Boris Johnson, mayor of London, said: “This decision fires the starting gun on the delivery of detailed plans for UCL East, which we believe will be another glittering jewel in the world class constellation of intellectual and cultural riches taking shape in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.”

The LDA Design team also features BuroHappold, Momentum Transport Planning, EC Harris, Soundings and Studio Weave. It won the London Legacy Development Corporation competition ahead of shortlisted bids from Aecom, Lifschutz Davidson Sandilands, Make and Allies & Morrison.

A detailed masterplan for the site will now be developed over the coming months.
PROJECT PROFILE:

Olympicopolis
Billed as the ‘Olympicopolis’, the project will be situated on the former 2012 Olympics site showcasing London’s ‘exceptional art, dance, history, craft, science, technology and cutting edge design’. Several high profile partners are involved in the scheme so far including; The Victoria and Albert Museum, Sadler’s Wells dance theatre and University of the Arts London. University College London will also be building a new campus adjacent to the Stratford Waterfront site. _____________________________________ The US-based Smithsonian Institute is working to finalise a deal to open its first international location at site of the former Olympic Stadium in London.

Location: United Kingdom
Budget: £400m

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  Haworth Tompkins in the running for ‘Olympicopolis’ project


A host of leading architecture practices feature on the shortlist – revealed today (12 December) – for the competition to design a culture and education quarter at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in London.
  £400m ‘Olympicopolis’ design competition now open


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NEWS
“Glittering jewel” of culture to be created by LDA Design at London’s Olympic Park
POSTED 15 May 2015 . BY Jason Holland
The UCL campus is part of the wider Olympicopolis development Credit: Shutterstock.com
LDA Design has been selected to masterplan a university campus at London’s Olympic Park, featuring a museum, collections libraries and performance spaces.

A team led by the practice, which also includes Nicholas Hare Architects, will develop the 125,000sq m (1,345,489sq ft) campus for University College London (UCL), called UCL East. It will be located south of the ArcelorMittal Orbit and the Zaha Hadid-designed London Aquatics Centre at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, home of the 2012 Olympic Games.

The UCL campus is part of the wider Olympicopolis development, which will also include projects involving the Victoria & Albert Museum, the University of the Arts and Sadler’s Wells. Talks are also ongoing with the Smithsonian about creating a presence at the site.

The first phase of the UCL East project aims to create a collection of innovative knowledge centres, bringing together cross-disciplinary expertise, and is scheduled for completion in time for the 2018/19 academic year.

It will be a 50,000sq m development and will feature the UCL Museum of the Future, where immersive exhibition galleries will be created. A school of design, a centre for experimental engineering, collections libraries, and studio and performance spaces will also feature.

Boris Johnson, mayor of London, said: “This decision fires the starting gun on the delivery of detailed plans for UCL East, which we believe will be another glittering jewel in the world class constellation of intellectual and cultural riches taking shape in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.”

The LDA Design team also features BuroHappold, Momentum Transport Planning, EC Harris, Soundings and Studio Weave. It won the London Legacy Development Corporation competition ahead of shortlisted bids from Aecom, Lifschutz Davidson Sandilands, Make and Allies & Morrison.

A detailed masterplan for the site will now be developed over the coming months.
RELATED STORIES
Haworth Tompkins in the running for ‘Olympicopolis’ project


A host of leading architecture practices feature on the shortlist – revealed today (12 December) – for the competition to design a culture and education quarter at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in London.
£400m ‘Olympicopolis’ design competition now open


Mayor of London Boris Johnson, has opened a major design competition for a new £400m (US$650m, €503m) educational and cultural quarter at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, east London.
MORE NEWS
Rainer Maelzer joins Therme Group as chief entertainment officer
Rainer Maelzer, an experiential entertainment innovator, has been appointed chief entertainment officer by Therme Group.
Movie Park Germany reveals new Paramount attraction as part of its 30th anniversary celebrations
Movie Park Germany has opened a new Paramount Pictures-themed attraction as part of its 30th anniversary celebrations, using immersive storytelling and adaptive reuse to reinforce the park’s longstanding “Hollywood in Germany” positioning.
Therme Manchester reveals 90:90 strategy – 90 per cent of the UK population within a 90-minute drive of a Therme
Therme Manchester’s 28-acre development, which will include interconnected glass pavilions that measure 65,000sq m, will be the largest bathing and wellbeing attraction in the world once complete, according to prof David Russell, CEO of Therme UK. 
Efteling expands family offer with new Hooghmoed drop tower
Efteling has opened Hooghmoed, a new family drop tower designed to broaden the appeal of its recently launched Sirene Island themed area and introduce younger visitors to thrill attractions.
Universal and Puy du Fou projects point to rise of Oxford–Cambridge corridor
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COMPANY PROFILES
Taylor Made Designs

Founded in 1993, Taylor Made Designs supply corporate clothing and brand-enhancing merchandise to [more...]
Vekoma Rides Manufacturing B.V.

Vekoma Rides has a large variety of coasters and attractions. [more...]
iPlayCO

iPlayCo was established in 1999. [more...]
TechnoAlpin Indoor

TechnoAlpin is the world leader for snowmaking systems. With the Indoor snow division, TechnoAlpin c [more...]
+ More profiles  
FEATURED SUPPLIER

Iconic Liverpool attraction opens door to new operators
An opportunity to reimagine one of the UK’s most recognisable towers has been formally opened by Rivington Hark, as St Johns Beacon invites operators and partners to shape its next phase. [more...]
CATALOGUE GALLERY
+ More catalogues  
DIRECTORY
+ More directory  
DIARY

 

09-11 Jun 2026

World Sauna Forum 2026

Savutuvan Apaja, Haapaniemi, Finland
23-26 Aug 2026

Elevate Spa Riviera Maya Edition

The Riviera Maya Edition Kanai, Playa del Carmen, Mexico
+ More diary  
 


ADVERTISE . CONTACT US

Leisure Media
Tel: +44 (0)1462 431385

©Cybertrek 2026

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